Teenage criminal ‘acted like some big drugs lord’
ATEENAGER who was involved in dealing more than £45,000 of Class A drugs left a man “terrified” after running a knife over his face.
Morgan Lee, 18, handled at least a kilo of heroin and crack cocaine and threatened those below him in the drugs chain, telling two men he would “snap their jaws”.
Sentencing him at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Jeremy Jenkins described the defendant’s behaviour as “shocking”.
The court heard he was initially arrested on March 9 at Alicia Crescent in Newport, where police found chemicals and equipment used to produce crack cocaine.
Nick Gedge, prosecuting, said Lee was released under investigation, during which time he was involved in an affray.
Prosecutors said the defendant, at that point missing £10,000 worth of drugs, went to the home of a customer called Lyndon Gilmore on August 17 with another man and three women.
Mr Gedge added: “Lee blamed him for his drugs going astray.”
The court heard Lee told Mr Gilmore he owed him money, then ordered him to go to his bedroom.
The victim could hear the gang in his living room and it sounded like they were dealing drugs. He overheard Lee ask one of the women what she would do if someone owed her £10,000 and she replied she would “stick a knife in” that person.
Prosecutors said the victim was “absolutely terrified” and curled up in the foetal position in his bed.
The court heard Lee ran the blade of a Stanley knife up and down Mr Gilmore’s cheek but did not cause him any injuries. Mr Gilmore managed to escape out of the bedroom window and ran to an ex-partner’s house, where he called the police.
The next day police went to Swallow Way in Duffryn, Newport, and found the defendant in a caravan at the back of a property. Officers arrested him and seized cash, phones and grip-seal bags from the caravan. The phones were found to contain material relating to drug supply.
His phone was also found to contain messages asking others how many drugs they had sold and how much money they had taken, as well as making threats.
On July 3 he sent a message to two runners, saying: “Your jaws are both getting snapped. You better sort this out. I ain’t f***ing around.”
Mr Gedge said: “He is clearly making threats of significant violence to enforce drug debts.”
Officers found the scale of the operation was “significant” and concluded Lee had handled at least 1kg of Class A drugs. They found he supplied more than 450g of heroin and cocaine, generating £45,370.
Lee, from Swallow Way, admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine. He also pleaded guilty to affray.
Judge Jenkins noted the defendant was “acting like some big drugs lord”.
Lee was sent to a young offender institution for eight years and there will be a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act on March 15.